The most common cancer in children turns out to be preventable

This is probably the best news for medicine, when one of the most serious cancers can be completely prevented.

According to a new study, scientists have discovered clues to find out the cause of one of the most common cancers in children. And more importantly, if successful, the disease is completely preventable.

The disease we are referring to is Acute Lymphoma (Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia - ALL) . This is a form of blood cancer, developed because some genes are mutated, combined with common forms of infection, causing the disease to develop after the first year of birth.

ALL cancer has an incidence of 1: 2000.

ALL cancer has an incidence of 1: 2000, but that number has increased by 1% each year in some countries. Although it has been the cause of genetic mutations , this study is still very important. It deepens the mechanism of disease and spread, thereby bringing great hope.

"I have spent 40 years researching on leukemia in children, and gradually understand more about the mechanism, as well as giving treatment methods. Thanks to that, now 90% of cases The disease can be healed " - quoted Mel Greaves, research author from London Cancer Research Institute.

"However, there is always something that haunts me, that seems to be a gap in our knowledge. Why healthy children are white blood cells, and how to prevent this cancer from spreading work? "

Simulation of leukemia.

That question prompted Greaves to deepen his research, to find out how this cancer formed. In the new study, he explained that the child's genes may have changed in the course of pregnancy, creating precancerous cells.

Then in the first year of life, having less contact with bacteria causes the immune system to stop working, not learning how to fight external microbiological agents effectively. And finally, a small number of them encountered a suitable genetic modification agent, and ALL appeared.

"The study provides very solid evidence that ALL has a specific mechanism of disease development, triggered by different types of infections at the time when the child's immune system is not working properly," Greaves said.

"The study itself is a combination of decades-long work that gives a reliable solution to how leukemia appears."

"In particular, the study rejects inaccurate rumors about ALL, such as whether the cause is due to exposure to electromagnetic waves, or pollution".

Most cases of ALL in children can be prevented.

When done, Greaves used a lot of research from before - both in animals and humans. He found that children who were breastfed, went to kindergarten, or had older siblings often had very low rates of illness. It is also those who have been exposed to bacteria early, so the immune system works better.

Thanks to that, Greaves believed that the disease was completely preventable.

"Most cases of ALL in children can be prevented," he said.

"The most realistic thing is that we should create a vaccine that is suitable for babies. This is more relevant to modern society."

However, he also said that this is not a study to "scare" parents. Anyway, ALL is very rare.

The study was published in Nature Reviews Cancer.